Applications for plug arrangements for an electric or optical cable are generally found in connection technology for optical and/or electronic networks in office technology, including for example Ethernet as a network and plugs of the RJ45 or RJ11 type. Meanwhile, the connection end of a cable of this type which is used for plugs is subject to a high degree of standardisation.
A standardised construction is shown in FIG. 6. The end of a standardised cable 10 with a plug body 110 of the RJ45 or RJ11 type is shown in this case. The plug body is assembled on the end of the cable with mounting technology. On the upper side of the plug body a mechanical locking device is provided, which is to be opened using a manually actuated locking tab 112 when the plug body, which is plugged into a socket, is to be released therefrom. The depressed locking tab releases the plug body, by means of locking hooks 115, from the connection to a counter body (socket) which is complementary to the plug body.
In general, the plug body is enclosed by a housing made of insulating material, parts of the housing also covering the locking device. The housing is intended predominantly to provide protection against contact, and may further include means for fastening the plug body to a connection part, formed for example as a gland nut, with which the cable can be attached to the device in which the complementary counter body is arranged.
Various plug arrangements, with various constructions of the insulating material housing and/or of the actuation elements for the mechanical locking device, are commercially available.
Plug arrangements of this type have some disadvantages as regards the operation of the actuation elements: for example, the fact that said elements are arranged in such a way that they are difficult to access when the plug is plugged in, because they are located very close to the surface of the device. Therefore, the user is sometimes forced to also use a further tool which, in the particular case where a suitable tool is lacking, could even be a toothpick, for example. A further disadvantage can be seen in the fact that the housing of the plug body is not completely closed in the region of the actuation elements. Windows, which conflict with the requirement for secure insulation, are present there. Plug arrangements of this type fail in a test of electric strength and leakage distance.